Are Vibrators Dangerous?

Question

My partner and I were thinking about experimentation with vibrators, but I’ve heard that they can cause loss of sensation in the female genital area with prolonged use. Is this true or are there other dangers?

Answer

Vibrators are not only not dangerous to use, they are actually the treatment of choice for women who are having difficulty reaching orgasm. They are recommended by almost every sex therapist exactly for this use. Indeed, most women not only do not find that there is a loss of sensation, but exactly the opposite: As they begin to experiment with new ways of pleasuring themselves, they learn more about their bodies and the kinds of sensations they like. This leads to more sensitivity and ease of reaching orgasm even without a vibrator.

Although it is always possible for someone to become overly dependent on any one way of masturbating or having sex, I think that normal use would not lead to such a situation.

As I have stated before, research (Davis et al., 1996) has definitively shown that the use of sex aids is not only not detrimental to an individual’s sexual functioning or satisfaction, but that, actually, those individuals who use such devices alone also have more frequent and satisfying sex with a partner.

So my suggestion is that you and your partner browse through a good vibrator catalog (like our own vibrator section) that lists both the pluses and minuses of different vibrators, and explore together without worry that using one will have harmful effects.

MyPleasure provides up-to-date and useful sexual education materials in combination with a store that allows people to buy, try, and learn about new aspects of sexuality. We believe everybody deserves a great sex life.